Colleges across the nation are celebrating National Student Employee Week to honor all student employees from April 8 to 16.

The National Student Employment Association, an organization made up of several hundred professionals involved with programs for college students who work, is hoping this week will enhance awareness of student employment and its significant role in the higher education experience.

Career Services at NMU plan to have each department do something in their own way to thank their employees.

“Right now we currently have 2,700 employees working through NMU,” said Steve Lafond, assistant director for Career Services. 1,500 of those employees are students.”

Career Services wants to thank the large number of student employees for contributing so much to NMU. Their website provides different examples of how employers can honor their student employees.

“They really help us to accomplish what we try to do,” Lafond said. “We encourage all departments to celebrate this week in their own way.”

In honor of National Student Employee Week, NMU has added a “thank you” note on their home page. In addition to that, Bob Thompson of WNMU, has put together a quick video clip of student employees working in all departments across campus.

The Career Services office, located on the third floor of Hedgcock, is the place to go if you are interested in jobs located on and off campus. Their website, www.nmu.edu/careers, also has information on hundreds of job openings for after graduation, resume writing and internship opportunities.

Working on campus allows a job close to school and also employers often allow for their employees class schedules. Wendy Huetten, a student employee of Stone Creek Coffee Lounge, is very grateful for her campus job.

“I love it because it works really well for my schedule,” Huetten said. “I have kids in daycare, and this job doesn’t have me working odd hours and allows me to be with my kids at home.”

To view listings for both on and off-campus part-time jobs you can visit the Career Services website. Before applying, you must consider your availability, experience and interests. Having a part-time job while in college comes with great benefits, including employment history, getting work references and learning time management skills. To ensure academic success, students employed on campus may not work more than 20 hours per week.

To view the employee recognition video, visit www.nmu.edu/careerservices and click on “student employee video.”

If you have any questions related to student employment or if you’d like to share your own ideas on ways employers can celebrate National Student Employee Week, email Career Services at [email protected].